As a full time traveler who has stayed in a lot of Airbnbs and recently gave up her apartment in California to embrace the remote work lifestyle and live in monthly Airbnb rentals, I’m often asked: why Airbnb as opposed to other platforms or agencies? Airbnb is known for charging a high service fee to both its guests and its hosts, so many wonder why I don’t opt for alternatives. Within the short-to-long term furnished rental market, there are many advantages to booking your stay on Airbnb as opposed to booking with a local agency, broker, or directly with a host. If you know what to look for in a listing and consider the service fee as the price to pay for the cost of convenience, Airbnb is a great option for many reasons which I detail in this article.

This article looks more closely at the comparison between Airbnb and local, furnished, short-term rental agencies. If you are looking for a comparison of choosing between an Airbnb or a hotel, you can head to this article here.

1. Secured, automatic transactions

One major benefit of booking a stay on Airbnb is that all transactions take place easily, conveniently, and securely within the platform. Hosts do have the option to offer discounts and special prices so there is still the ability for negotiation, and the terms of your stay will always be outlined very clearly when reserving your stay. For stays longer than a month, Airbnb automatically charges your stored payment method every 30 days, so you don’t have to make the full payment up-front. Rather than having to wire monthly rent payments, cough up the full payment up-front, or make separate payments for broker’s fees and utilities like many local agencies would require, the costs associated with your stay are clearly defined. Additionally, all your communication can take place within Airbnb’s messenger, and should an issue arise, your conversations can be monitored by Airbnb’s customer service specialists. You can read more about general safety tips and best practices for booking an Airbnb here.

2. No surprise charges for utilities, etc.

The cost for your Airbnb stay will include utilities, cleaning fees, the service fee, and any associated taxes, and is clearly defined when you book your reservation. You won’t receive any surprise bills or invoices for brokerage services, or be required to register for your utility usage which may be the case when organizing your accommodation through a local agency. In some popular tourist destinations you may be required to pay a small city tax (in cash) upon arrival, but if this is the case your host will let you know the amount prior to checking in so you can come prepared (in my experience it may be the equivalent of a few dollars for each day of your stay). If you are in a destination where this is required from your Airbnb host, it would be required from other accommodations like hotels as well.

3. Build a strong profile

Because Airbnb guests and hosts are required to have a profile and are encouraged to leave and write reviews after each stay, there is less anonymity and more accountability on both sides, and more of an incentive to make each experience positive. Additionally, you can choose to only stay in listings that are highly-rated or managed by Superhosts. Reviews are helpful for both the guest and the host, and better prepare the other for managing expectations and ensuring that the stay is enjoyable.

4. There are a lot of options

Though this can be seen as both an advantage or a disadvantage, Airbnb has a lot of options for various budgets, travel styles, and preferences. If you have the time, know how to look, and know what to look for in a listing (you can use these tips and these tips), then you should be able to find a great, comfortable place that fits within your budget. Airbnb is an easily accessible platform for hosts to list their properties, and their popularity (and market share) continues to increase. Regardless of where in the world your destination may be, you are likely to find an Airbnb there.

5. It’s a single platform to search for daily, weekly, or monthly stays 

Regardless if your trip is a single night or several months, you can search for and book your accommodation within the Airbnb platform. Many other agencies or hotel booking platforms will focus on either short stays or long stays, but rarely both and everything in between. One helpful feature is the ability to create and save wish lists (which you can choose to organize by location, theme, time period, etc), that you can revisit if your plans or dates change. Also, if you are planning to travel with others, you can also invite them to your wish lists to collaborate on adding or editing the options.

6. Ability to book and confirm in advance

Finding availability on Airbnb is as easy as filtering your search for specific dates, and many Airbnb hosts tend to open their calendars six months or up to a year in advance. I’ve had experiences with other local agencies when looking for furnished monthly rentals, and was instructed to reach out closer to my arrival date to find more accurate availability. I personally prefer to have my accommodation sorted and confirmed well in advance of my arrival, so I’m not left at the last minute to choose between options that don’t feel comfortable or are outside of my budget. 

7. No showings required

Especially for monthly stays, booking and confirming your accommodation on Airbnb is convenient because you can do so without having to schedule a physical showing. You can also filter for Airbnb Plus listings that have verified, professional photography of the accommodation, or choose listings from Superhosts or that have many, highly-rated reviews indicating that the property is represented and described accurately.

8. Request and confirm changes within the platform

If you need to make changes to a reservation or are interested in extending your stay, you can easily refer to the availability calendar on the Airbnb listing or message your host directly to see what your options are. The changes can then be requested and confirmed directly within the platform, and payments or refunds (though may be subject to a cancelation policy) can be processed securely and automatically. Alternatively, if you arrange your stay through a local agency and have to make a change or are expecting a refund on a deposit, it may potentially be more complicated or take a long time to confirm.

9. Streamlined process across the world

The processes for booking, confirming, checking-in, and experiencing an Airbnb stay are straight-forward and consistent for the most part, regardless of where in the world you are visiting. If you book an Airbnb with a seasoned, highly-rated host, you can expect a streamlined experience- and if there are any differences for unique accommodations, you can expect them to be clearly communicated to you prior to your arrival, and prior to confirming your booking.

10. Contribute to the local economy

If the Airbnb listing is managed by the owner of the accommodation, booking your stay is one of the most direct ways you can contribute to the local economy. Though some listings are managed by businesses or professional agencies, the contribution to the local economy still exists by creating jobs and supporting employees that function as co-hosts or cleaners. As I mentioned in an earlier point, it is very easy for an owner to list their property on Airbnb and become a host, so the business opportunity (or side-hustle) is an accessible way for them to generate more income.

11. Earn miles and credit card rewards as a travel purchase 

The last benefit worth mentioning of booking a short-term or long-term stay on Airbnb as opposed to other rental agencies or local platforms is that you can earn rewards like miles and credit card points. Local agencies or other platforms for furnished rentals may only accept wire transfers or other methods of payment, and may not be able to accept credit card payments.

Additionally, you can earn 1 mile on Delta for every dollar spent on Airbnb if you first visit deltaairbnb.com and click through to the platform using their affiliate link. Your Delta miles can be redeemed for future flights, upgrades, seat assignments, and more! You can also earn rewards by using a travel credit card like Chase Sapphire Preferred or Reserve, which will 3x or 5x your points for Airbnbs, because the transactions are categorized as ‘travel’. You can redeem your Chase Ultimate Rewards for flights, hotels, and car rentals, among other travel-related expenses.

Have any questions about booking a future stay on Airbnb? Let me know in the comments below!

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